Hemi_hog_77 Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I am just getting into doing model aircraft.....as a way to unwind.......not sure how it will workout...... anyway.... I have always been facinated by WWII era aircraft, so what would be a good scale to get my feet wet with? I will take it that airbrushing is the preferred method of laying down the paint. For masking, how does Bob Divleys liquid mask do...I used it a lot on R/C car bodies....will it work out decently on model aircraft, or does tape work better? I have been tooling around the web looking for tips, tricks, methods for pulling off a great looking model....I have found a few, but was wondering where some of you experienced modelers would point me. Thats about all I can think of for now..... I am an instructor at Beale AFB...so if anyone needs info or pics of a U2, t-38, or Global Hawk....Im your man....also.....most of the guys I work with have a lot decent pics of other airframes they have worked........ Thanks........ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boscosticks Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 i was thinking just that! i started out with monogram's 1/48 scales of WWII planes, which were simple and fun to put together. airbrushing is indeed the favored painting method, and you can drybrush for the detailing. goodluck with modeling, and welcome aboard! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SBARC Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Hi and welcome to ARC. 1/48 scale is a good scale to start with....very middle of the road. First figure out what aircraft and markings grab your intertest. No sense building something that doesn't take your mind off to a pleasant place to daydream about that aircraft while you build. Once you decide on the aircraft....ask on the forums for the best kit of that aircraft. Pay extra money and get a kit that fits well and requires less work and frustration. Newer Tamiya kits fit together very well. For glue I would strongly advise you try Tamiya Liquid glue .....it comes ina square bottle with a brillant brush that does the best job of applying glue I've ever seen. You simple touch the 2 plastic parts tofgether and wick the glue on the brush into the seam. Very easy and clean. Airbrushing is something that comes with practise and experience. Most important thing ..."Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to", above all have fun. (to quote Al Superczynski). Ask on the forums here if you have any questions......we're a friendly bunch that are here to help. Steve B ARC Webmaster Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Number one, welcome to ARC. You'll soon find you can get almost any question answered here. Number two, just about any of the Tamiya 1/48 WWII fighters would be a good place to start. Their Mustangs, Bf 109Es, Spitfires and Fw 190s are all nice kits and very easy to assemble. And yeah, an airbrush really make the job easier. There's also a Tool and Tips section on ARC that you may find helpful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SBARC Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Helpful stuff snipped... There's also a Tool and Tips section on ARC that you may find helpful. If he starts airbrushing.....and has even a fraction of my lack of skill and talent....he should find my Tools n Tips Paint Stripping article very helpful. :) Steve B ARC Webmaster Quote Link to post Share on other sites
moeggo Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Welcome! I too started again in the hobby 2 years ago. And I have learnt a load from all the knowledge that’s on this board and everyone is willing to lend a hand to help out! I would agree with everyone so far! 1/48 is the way too start its big but not too big if you get my drift! I started out and brought a few expensive kits that I recked! I would start on some of the cheaper brands out there like Academy, Revell and Monogram! They make some great kits at good prices! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cheesey153 Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I'm going to offer a slightly different perspective. I too came to this hobby recently after being a dedicated figure modeller for many years. I've not been very prolific in this new field (just 3 planes completed, 2 kits half done waiting for the final touches and 3 more half finished and then trashed!) but I have had (and continue to have) lots of fun. I chose 1/72 as 'my' scale because of 1) my memories of my childhood Airfix kits and 2) lack of display space. Sure, I've struggled with the kits so far but I have learned SO much along the way. My good friend Pete Wenman (also on this site) recommended I try 1/48 or larger because I'd find those scales easier (and he even gave me a 1/32 Revell Hunter!) and I bought a few larger kits, but whilst I really like the look of them I keep being drawn to 1/72! That smaller scale simply seems to be the scale I like the most! I find smaller kits somehow less daunting than larger ones and because they are quicker to build, the lessons are learned more quickly - and more cheaply!! Creative hobbies like this are not mostly about making exquisitely finished models, but mostly about having fun along the way. My advice would be to choose ANY kit you like the look of - be it 1/144 or 1/24 - and have fun with it! Be prepared to throw it in the rubbish bin eventually, but learn lessons and then move on. This site has been a godsend to me - I've probably (well, certainly!) spent more time reading these forums & looking at the galleries than I have actually making models but I have absorbed all I've seen & read and it's made my modelling better and more enjoyable. Good luck! Jon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
volzj Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I bought a few larger kits, but whilst I really like the look of them I keep being drawn to 1/72! That smaller scale simply seems to be the scale I like the most! Good luck! Jon. Everyone eventaully comes around to the "one true scale", Jon. :( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cheesey153 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Everyone eventaully comes around to the "one true scale", Jon. :lol: HA! Joe, There's certainly something about 1/72 that I find very appealing but I know I will also make larger scales in the fullness of time. I'm currently working on a 1/72 A-4 (that might actually reach the finishing line this time!) and the next project may well be a 1/48 kit.....or maybe another 1/72 I'm not suggesting that the previous responses in this thread have been motivated by personal preference but I think there is a tendency for people to recommend things that they like, not what other people may like. Each scale has its own pros & cons, and each person has individual likes, dislikes, wants & needs. In short, I don't think my enjoyment of this hobby has been diminished by making (so far) only 1/72 kits. Best wishes, Jon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
volzj Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Absoultely Jon. Although I am a die-hard 1/72 fan, I still built a number of 1/48 kits every year, and would even entertain a 1/32 kit if I had anywhere to dispaly it when finished. There's no need to lock yourself into one scale only, or for that matter one genre. I build the infrequent ship, and even entertained the thought of some armor recently, as I haven't built one in a number of years. Keeps things fresh. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chris Kethan Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Hemi, Welcome aboard! I'll echo what everyone else said. I'll recommend 1/48 scale because it is a good compromise between size, detail, and price. As I get older( and my eyesight deteriorates!) , I think it is easier to work with the bigger scales. Also, even though you may want to throw a kit away that you screwed up, stay with it. Try to fix it. I still have the first kit I built when I returned to the hobby sitting on my display shelf. It looks awful, but it reminds me how much I have learned! Above all, have fun with the hobby. Build your kit, YOUR way. Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f14peter Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Likewise, welcome to the board! A good thing to do if you haven't already is check out the tools 'n' tips link on the ARC homepage, beau-coup hints there. And hey, we're almost neighbors! I live in Chico, not too far up the road. BTW, when's the Beale Open House this year? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hemi_hog_77 Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 Likewise, welcome to the board!A good thing to do if you haven't already is check out the tools 'n' tips link on the ARC homepage, beau-coup hints there. And hey, we're almost neighbors! I live in Chico, not too far up the road. BTW, when's the Beale Open House this year? Not sure on the open house...the last time I think there was one was this summer for the air show. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Miccara Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 1/48, really, it's the best and will improve your skills more quickly than 1/72. and BEWARE... http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/tnt1...hred/tnt092.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cheesey153 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 1/48, really, it's the best and will improve your skills more quickly than 1/72. With respect Miccara (and I really hope you don't interpret this as me flaming you) that is the kind of opinion I was trying to guard against. 1/48 may be "the best" for Miccara, and it may have improved Miccara's skills more quickly than 1/72 but it doesn't neccessarily mean it's the best for everyone. For instance, would you tell volzi or JuanjoD (as just 2 examples) that 1/48 is "the best"? Had I listened to the "1/48 is best" arguments a couple of years ago there's a good chance I wouldn't be sat here surrounded my modelling gear and with a stash of kits (of all scales) waiting to be built. In short, my love of this hobby has flourished because of 1/72, not despite it. If the starter of this thread prefers 1/48, that's great, but I'd hate for him or anyone else to be disuaded from doing things that just may be to their liking. Cheers, Jon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 (edited) While not necessarily "the best", 1/48 is a great compromise between 1/72 (which can be a bit small for single engine WWII fighters) and 1/32. (where finding a place to store the boxes and built kits can sometimes be a problem) But yeah, it will certainly be different from person to person. Edited January 27, 2007 by David Walker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hemi_hog_77 Posted January 27, 2007 Author Share Posted January 27, 2007 Guys, thanks for all of the advice in where to start.....I have 2 1:72 U2's and a 1:48 corsair that will kep me busy for a while....the corsair first and the U2's next...as i would like the U2's to come out very nice (I instruct with several U2 crew chiefs). however, I still am waiting to hear if anyone uses Bob Divley's liquid mask for masking off sections....or what method is best for masking. Thanks...and look forward to posting pics of my work....weather or not it turns out good in my eyes....... Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cheesey153 Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 I don't know the product you mentioned and I've not used liquid mask in my limited dabblings so far. However, Tamiya masking tape is regarded as being the best brand of tape for our purposes and thin rolls of Blu Tack also work very well for masking camouflage schemes. Hopefully some more experienced (and better!) modellers will chip in with their suggestions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Miccara Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 With respect Miccara (and I really hope you don't interpret this as me flaming you) that is the kind of opinion I was trying to guard against.1/48 may be "the best" for Miccara, and it may have improved Miccara's skills more quickly than 1/72 but it doesn't neccessarily mean it's the best for everyone. For instance, would you tell volzi or JuanjoD (as just 2 examples) that 1/48 is "the best"? Had I listened to the "1/48 is best" arguments a couple of years ago there's a good chance I wouldn't be sat here surrounded my modelling gear and with a stash of kits (of all scales) waiting to be built. In short, my love of this hobby has flourished because of 1/72, not despite it. If the starter of this thread prefers 1/48, that's great, but I'd hate for him or anyone else to be disuaded from doing things that just may be to their liking. Cheers, Jon. How dare you! Flaming me!!! Just kidding... my comment was more directed at the level of detail generally found on 1/48. I'm not saying any scale is better than another for the most part. Just that you can't really learn how to detail an engine if there isn't one in the kit. You can learn all the tricks in any scale. I just think you're forced to learn them a little faster if you build 1/48. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Miccara Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Thanks, Bill I'll PM you Back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian C Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 (edited) Hi as a newbie myself well, returning to the SPORT after 30 years away. I have moved from 1/32 scale armour that was my think back then to 1/48 scale planes. Just to get my hand back in again. (will go down to 1/72 scale if my eye sight lets me.....lol) I echo what everyone says go for something that grabs you. Have a look around the forum at some of the models, that's what I did. I now have a stash of F-104's the bird is hypnotic, if you want to build it right then research as well. Also this forum is great the guys are so helpful and the tips are real good too. Wish you all the best, Ian P.S. Try a build straight from the box you can get hung-up on all the extras....... Edited January 30, 2007 by Ian C Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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